Jonathan Kyle Courson entered the Appling County Courtroom on Tuesday, June 17 in a white jumpsuit stamped with the words Department of Corrections on the back of the suit. Judge E.M. Wilkes stated that he had received a hand written note from Courson in early June indicating that he wanted to change his plea of guilty that he entered on May 5 for felony murder, false statements and tampering with evidence regarding the death of wife, Mandy Courson.

Wilkes also added that he had sent a notice to all attorneys involved in the case regarding Courson’s intentions and Attorney John Wetzler notified the judge that he would no longer be representing Courson. At this point Wilkes asked Courson who would be representing him if he wished to proceed with withdrawing his plea and it was determined that Brunswick Judicial Circuit Public Defender Jonathan Lockwood would now be representing Courson.

At this point Lockwood asked the court if he could have until July 15 to review case information and to file an official motion with the court to withdraw the May 5 plea put forward by Courson. Wilkes agreed to allow Lockwood to have until July 15 to submit the motion. Judge Wilkes also established, at the request of Lockwood and with agreement from District Attorney Jackie Johnson, to hold a hearing on the motion on August 18 in Jeff Davis County since Wilkes was scheduled to be having a hearing on this date. Wilkes told both attorneys that he wanted to have in writing that both parties agreed to the change of venue for the hearing.

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